Winter Solstice 2018: The First Day of Winter

Winter Solstice Date, Facts, Folklore, and More

By The Old Farmer's Almanac

Share:

Rate this Article:

Average: 3.7(1749 votes)

Winter officially begins with the Winter Solstice on Friday,December 21, 2018. This is the astronomical first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Enjoy our winter solstice facts, folklore, FAQs, and more!

When is the Winter Solstice?

The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight in the whole year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it always occurs around December 21 or 22. (In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs around June 20 or 21.)

In 2018, the winter solstice arrives on Friday, December 21, at 5:23 pm EST.
Coincidentally, December’s full Moon—the Full Cold Moon—will also appear on the night of the 21st, though it will not be at its absolute peak until the next day. So, keep your eyes peeled for a (near) Winter Solstice Full Moon that night! (Believe it or not, the next full Moon to actually peak on the winter solstice won’t be until 2094!)

Winter Solstice Dates

Year

Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere)

2018

Friday, December 21

2019

Saturday, December 21

2020

Monday, December 21

What is the Winter Solstice?

The word solstice comes from Latin sol “sun” and sistere “to stand still.” In the Northern Hemisphere, as summer advances to winter, the points on the horizon where the Sun rises and sets advance southward each day; the high point in the Sun’s daily path across the sky, which occurs at local noon, also moves southward each day.

At the winter solstice, the Sun’s path has reached its southernmost position. The next day, the path will advance northward. However, a few days before and after the winter solstice, the change is so slight that the Sun’s path seems to stay the same, or stand still. The Sun is directly overhead at “high-noon” on Winter Solstice at the latitude called the Tropic of Capricorn.

Winter FAQs

Question: Why is there such a time lag between the shortest day of the year (shortest amount of daylight hours) and the lowest average daily temperature of the year?

Answer: The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, meaning the one in which we experience the least amount of daylight in 24 hours; it is also the time when the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. Although this part of Earth is cooling, its great thermal mass still retains some heat from the summer and fall.

As the gradual cooling process continues over the next two months, temperatures will continue to fall, and the coldest temperatures will be recorded. The same pattern holds true for the summer solstice in June, as the year’s highest temperatures are recorded later, in July and August (in the Northern Hemisphere).

Question: Was Stonehenge built to celebrate the winter solstice?

Answer: That’s one theory. Stonehenge was constructed in several phases over a period of many centuries. Due to the alignment of the stones, experts acknowledge that the design appears to correspond with the use of the solstices and possibly other solar and lunar astronomical events in some fashion.

There are several theories as to why the structure was built, including that the area was used as a temple to worship the Sun; as a royal burial ground; and/or as a type of astronomical observatory. However, because none of these theories has been proven correct as yet, the true reason (or reasons) for Stonehenge’s existence remains a mystery. Read more about Ancient Sites Aligned with the Solstice and Equinox.

Question: Is the solstice the start of winter or the mid-point of winter?

Answer: There is not a black-and-white answer—it depends. We follow what the astronomical calendar tells us. The solstice is the beginning of astronomical winter. (An almanac is defined as a “calendar of the heavens,” so we use the astronomical definition as well.) Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun. However, meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle.

It is important for meteorologists to be able to compare climatological statistics for a particular season from one year to the next for agriculture, commerce, and a variety of other purposes. Thus, meteorologists break the seasons down into groupings of three months. Winter includes December, January, and February.

Did you know? For the ancient Celts, the calendar was based around the solstices and equinoxes, marking the Quarter Days, with the mid-points called Cross-Quarter Days. Learn more about the Celtic calendar.

What Does Winter Mean to You?

Winter inspires both joy and woe. Some people can’t wait for the cooler weather, snow, skiing and ice skating, curling up by a fire, and the holiday spirit. You’ll notice a peaceful sort of silence when you walk through the woods—a muffled kind of quiet.

Other people dislike the frigid temperatures, blizzards, and wild weather. In colder regions, winter often means shoveling, snowblowing, dealing with bad roads, and sometimes unbearable temperatures. In warmer regions, the winter temperatures become very mild or cool, and places such as Florida fill up with people escaping the harshness of a northern winter.

What if most history that we

What if most history that we have been taught is false...if u ask questions about Stonehenge from a religious perspective u will receive a man made answer...look at the crop circles that are being created by light beings(Orbs) right beside Stonehenge and study the ancient math of the Egyptians...connect the dots and u will have your own personal answer...your personal journey...it is not about following what u see but what u feel is true to your heart...feel the energy at these places and know there is no separation in all that exists...God is there in your heart...not from a man made god... but the essence of the God that lies within us all.

Crop circles have been proven

SOME crop circles are man

SOME crop circles are man made, that does not mean that ALL crop circles are man made. Think, do not be gullible. Use your intellect, exercise your ability to reason, and some logic, it is fun once you get the hang of it. Remember that there is much, much more that we do not know, compared to all that we think we do.

Here in Ireland there is a

Here in Ireland there is a structure that pre-dates the great pyramid of giza by 500 years and it only allows light to pass into its inner chamber on the winter solstice, it's called Newgrange and it is thought to be the oldest man made enclosed building in the world!

I was there in '99. Within

I was there in '99. Within the same week I located the stone circle that is the Summer Solstice sacred spot. I met my dear pal Mary there. Now I can't remember where it was just that it was way in the country & hard to find. Do you know?

A note: If there is duplicate

A note: If there is duplicate posting on our site, we will remove it, especially if we have already responded. You may also find it interesting to reference our overall Seasons page: http://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-seasons
Thank you, the OFA

LOVE FOLLOWING WEATHER

LOVE FOLLOWING WEATHER PREDICTIONS AND FORCASTS. BUT WONDERING ABOUT THE UPPER MID-WEST {N.W.IL. AREA,} Silvis IL FOR snow prediction 2013-14. We moved here in 2011 an have had 2 really mild snowfall. THE 2010-11 YR I WAS TOLD chicago got 2ft of snow.Could this be the yr...I moved from Eastern Pa.after 65 yrs.

last winter here in oregon

last winter here in oregon (willamette valley) there was no snow at low levels (250 feet) or, about sea level. i'm 57- it was the only winter with no snow i can recall.and for some odd reason in my garden i could not seem to persuade my pumpkins or winter squash to do much - in fact there were no pumpkins bigger than a softball (coulda been my fault) and turban squash grew at first then rotted on the vine. sunflowers grew, tomatoes somewhat lethargic also. for 15 years i religiously bought the Almanac. still have them too. can i access your archives on computer ? greg field independence or.

is there any correlation to

is there any correlation to moon cycles and the solstice? i noticed this year it is 7 days after the half moon, twelve days between new and full [25th dec]. any lunar winter solstice that corresponds in historic calanders, like the aramaic lunar calander used in 4ad?

The orbit of the Moon around

The orbit of the Moon around Earth, and of Earth around the Sun, are independent of one another, so there is no direct correlation between Moon phase and the seasons. However, Greek astronomer Meton observed that 19 solar (tropical) years approximately equals 235 synodic (lunar) months. That means that every 19 years, the Moon phases usually recur on the same dates of the solar calendar year. (For example, in 2012, the Full Moon on Nov 28, the Last Quarter on Dec 6, etc., would also occur on those dates in 2031, or very close to it--it's not a perfect formula.) Called the Metonic cycle, it was used in calculations for ancient lunar and lunisolar calendars (such as the Hebrew calendar), as well as in calculations for the date of Easter in the Julian calendar. For lunisolar calendars, often an extra month would be added about every 3 years to keep it in sync with the seasons.

(Callippus refined the Metonic cycle later, and Hipparchus refined it even more.)

Hope this helps!

how bad will the winter be in

To find our long-range

To find our long-range weather forecast for your area, go to: http://www.almanac.com/weather... and type in your zip code, or your city/state. It will give you our predictions for the current month and next month (Nov/Dec now).

To find out our weather predictions for the entire year, you can purchase a copy of The 2013 Old Farmer's Almanac online at Almanac.com/Store or by calling 1-800-ALMANAC. You can also buy the Almanac wherever books and magazines are sold in your area. Thank you!

Thanks for pointing out that

Thanks for pointing out that winter's arrival will be earlier this year than since 1896. Can you provide any historical context about the end of winter? (i.e., will the 2012 vernal equinox of 7:02am EDT be earlier or later than usual?)

The vernal equinox of 2012

The vernal equinox of 2012 (March 20 at 1:14 am EDT; March 19 at 10:14 pm PDT) was the earliest since 1896, but the vernal equinox of 2013 is not quite as spectacular, starting on March 20 at 7:02 am EDT; March 20 at 4:02 am PDT.

It looks like the next time that the vernal equinox will occur on March 19 in PDT will be in 2016 (at about 9:30 pm PDT); for EDT, in 2020 (at about 11:50 pm EDT). But even in EDT, the vernal equinox of 2016 will be earlier than the one in 2012: March 20 at about 12:30 am EDT.

@DruidJames
Your note on

@DruidJames
Your note on Stonehenge is slightly misleading in that it speaks as though it is established and verifiable fact. Considering that the builders left no written record and not even the most intimately involved researchers debate as to who began construction, one would be wise to recognize that it is not as straight forward as all that. Construction was done over a 1,700 year period with additions and changes made along the way.

Furthermore, the Druid's (as opposed to modern day neo-druids) association with Stonehenge has been thoroughly dispelled in T.D. Kendrick, The Druids: A Study in Keltic Prehistory.

While most of what you say regarding the stones positioning is more or less true, the purpose has never been ascertained, again mainly due to the lack of a written record, however scholars now are convinced that it was likely a place of ancestor worship and death rituals (funerals and burials)- "cremated remains found on the site indicate that deposits contain human bone material from as early as 3000 BC, when the initial ditch and bank were first dug. Such deposits continued at Stonehenge for at least another 500 years." (See Schmid, Randolph E. "Study: Stonehenge was a burial site for centuries" for more info)

All this to say that posting Notes for informational purposes is great, but readers must use a great deal of discernment in accepting their accuracy.

Note on Stonehenge.
It was

Note on Stonehenge.
It was Built by the village Brehon's or Priest. We know them as Druids. It was built on the convergence of land lines or energy lines of the land. They used the stones as markers of the cycle of the year. To mark when to begin planting or harvesting. The major cycles of the year are marked by the equinox and solstice of the seasons and the cross quarters of same.
They then celebrated the seasons of change and through the posative energies they assured themselves and the land a posative outcome.